G/TBT/N/USA/1942  
15 November  2022 
(22-8505) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) [1973]  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point, Email: usatbtep@nist.gov  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  ], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other  [X]: Updating the type approval requirements for 12 types of survival craft 
equipment that survival craft are required to carry on certain, specified U.S. -flagged 
vessels --bilge pumps, compasses, fire extinguishers, first -aid kits, fishing kits, hatc hets, 
jackknives, knives, signaling mirrors, provisions (food rations), emergency drinking 
water, and sea anchors -- as well as some of the survival craft equipment required for 
sailing school vessels.  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, othe rwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Survival 
craft equipment; Other protective equipment (ICS code(s): 13.340.99); Shipbuilding and 
marine structures in general (ICS code(s): 47.020); Seagoing vessels (ICS code(s): 
47.040)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Survival Craft 
Equipment --Update to Type Approval Requirements; (41 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  Final rule - The Coast Guard is updating the typ e approval 
requirements for certain types of equipment that survival craft are required to carry on 
U.S.-flagged vessels. This rule will remove Coast Guard type approval requirements for 
nine of these types of survival craft equipment and replace them with  the requirement 
that the manufacturer self -certify that the equipment complies with a consensus standard. 
Type approval is the primary process for equipment and materials to receive Coast Guard 
approval. Updating type approval requirements for survival cr aft equipment will result in 
cost savings to equipment manufacturers, vessel owners and operators, and the Coast 
Guard.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Cost saving and productivity enhancement  
8. Relevant documents:   
87 Federal Register (FR) 68270, 14 November 2022; Title 46 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) Parts 121, 160, et al.:  G/TBT/N/USA/1942  
 
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  https://www.govinfo.gov/content/ pkg/FR -2022-11-14/html/2022 -23666.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2022-11-14/pdf/2022 -23666.pdf  
This final rule and the notice of proposed rulemaking are identi fied by Docket Number 
USCG -2020-0107. The Docket Folder is available on Regulations.gov at 
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/USCG -2020-0107/document  and provides access to 
primary and supporting documents as well as comments received. Documents are also 
accessible from Regulations.gov  by searching the Docket Number.  
Survival Craft Equipment --Update to Type Approval Requirements; Notice of proposed 
rulemaking published 5 October 2020:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2020-10-05/html/2020 -21032.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2020-10-05/pdf/2020 -21032.pdf  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  14 November 2022  
Proposed date of entry into force:  14 December 2022  
10. Final date for comments:  Not Applicable  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/TBT/USA/22_7794_00_e.pdf